Like A Book
by crushingonbishop
Summary: Ellie had never seen him in that way before.


Ellie had never seen him in that way before.

His eyes screaming anger, his fists closed and red because of the blood. The guy without feelings, that guy, had just beaten up a criminal.

One of the worst. One of those cases leaves something in agents' souls.

This case, in particular, had affected Nick.

And when he finally met with the bad guy, the gun wasn't enough.

So he started punching him, till the point the other one has fainted.

But he went on, the rush was just too much.

Kinda because of inertia, he continued to punch him.

Even Gibbs's voice wasn't able to stop him.

And while McGee stayed next to the boss, Ellie moved forward.

It wasn't calculated, she didn't think of that. Her feet started moving and she stopped next to Nick, her hand kindly touched him, leaning on his back.

Feeling her skin, he stopped.

Like she had pushed a button.

He deeply sighed, therefore he turned towards her.

And she saw him.

In a way, she hadn't done before.

McGee and Gibbs were still behind them, carefully looking at the scene.

'He's not alert' her brain said.

'He's always the same Nick' her heart said.

And the heart won.

Meeting her hazel eyes, he came back to the real world.

'Hey,' she whispered. Her hand was still on him.

He slowly changed expression. The anger became sadness and confusion.

Her fingers caressing his shoulder weren't definitely helping him having a regular breath.

She could see his abdomen working to take and release oxygen, but the only thing she was looking at was his eyes.

A little bit of the previous rush was still in Nick's body, running through his veins, through his nerves, looking for a way out.

He got close to her, so slowly it wasn't clear what he was going to do.

Then he leaned his head on her shoulder, his breath towards her neck.

She wrapped her arms around him.

Nick closed his eyes. He knew Ellie was there. With him.

He could feel her.

When he opened his eyes and raised his head, she was still there, kindly smiling.

'We should go' she suggested.

He slightly nodded, and they moved towards the car, together.

At the end of the day, Ellie was at her desk, looking up, waiting for Nick.

He has been with Sloane for a while, and the waiting started to become a concern.

'Why it's taking so long?' she asked.

'Something needs time, Ellie' Tim answered.

'I'm worried'.

'Don't be. You helped him today. You were incredible.'

She turned towards McGee. 'I... followed my instinct.'

'You killed it.'

Seeing he wasn't able to make her even chuckle, he stood up, grabbed his stuff and went towards her.

'Hey, anything I can do?'

'No. Thanks. Go home.'

'You sure you don't want me to wait?'

'I'm sure.'

He nodded. 'Good night.'

'Good night, Tim.'

After the elevator doors closed, Ellie turned towards the stairs again.

Nick was slowly going downstairs.

She waited he was at his desk.

'Hey.'

He turned towards her, his backpack was already in his hand.

'Hey.'

'Are you okay?'

'Kinda. Why are you still here?'

'I'm worried about you.'

After a few seconds, he was in front of her.

'I'm sorry for what happened before. I must have scared you.'

'It's okay.' Her eyes dropped on his backpack. 'What are your plans?'

'Go into the first bar.'

'Sounds like not a great idea to me.'

He chuckled. 'Yeah. Have you got another idea?'

He hoped she had it.

'I've got some beers at home.'

'Sounds like a great idea to me.'

'I take my stuff.'

He nodded, as she was taking her coat.

'Sit on the couch, I'll take the beers.'

'I can take them, B., just show me the kitchen.'

'What a gentleman' she stated, pointing her hand towards the kitchen.

He came back with his hands full of beers.

'Are you gonna get drunk on my couch?'

'That's the plan.'

She chuckled and sat on the couch, therefore he sat next to her.

'Here you are'.

She smiled, taking the beer he offered to her.

He smiled back, and his eyes quickly saw a book, leaned next to the couch.

'Are you reading it?'

She turned towards the book. 'Kinda. Last days were full.'

Ellie looked at him, waiting for a reaction.

'It was a hard case' he stated.

'Yes, it was. It's okay you felt involved.'

'Thanks, Bishop, but I know I went too far. Luckily, you stopped me.'

She smiled, sipping her beer.

'Why did you do that?'

'Because you're my partner' she suddenly answered.

'I wasn't myself, Ellie.'

'You were yourself, Nick. You were... angry.'

'You must know I would never, ever hurt you.'

'I know that.'

Her eyes calmed him down, as they did early in the afternoon.

'Good. You know, Sloane wanted to know how you did that.'

'Did what?'

'Stop me.'

'It wasn't such a big deal.' He chuckled. 'I told her it was you. You were the only one who could stop me.'

His words were suspended, waiting for a reaction by Ellie.

'You're special.'

He said it firmly looking at his partner. He wouldn't come back. He was sure about what he said.

Ellie was firmly looking at him too, her lips slightly opened.

'I...'

'Ellie'. He held her hand, and it made her calm down.

'You're important to me, Nick. You really are.'

Nick joined his hands, holding hers.

His skin made a rush go into her veins.

She felt it through her body, and she did something she wasn't used to doing.

She didn't think, just act.

She got close to him and kiss him.

Nick closed his eyes feeling her lips on his.

When he opened them, she was in front of him, slightly smiling.

He smiled back, and leaned his arm behind her, rubbing her shoulder.

She was cuddled up on him, her soft body leaning on his.

'I didn't know I had to make someone faint to receive a kiss from you.'

'Idiot' she stated, while her fingers were tracing patterns on his chest.

'You're wonderful'. He said it genuinely, he had thought it for a long time.

She turned towards him and placed a kiss on his cheek.

'Promise me, you will talk with me, the next time you will be so angry.'

'I promise it.'

'Good.'

'But you have to promise me you'll talk with me the next time a case will affect you in this way.'

'I'm not the one who took the bad guy down.'

'But I noticed it was hard to you. You had stared at the victims' photos for hours. Your eyes were directed towards the screen, while you were playing with the pen.'

'Were you looking at me?'

'Of course. I was worried this case would affect you. I tend to show what I feel, but you keep it inside.'

'Because, if I keep it inside, it feels like it hurts less.'

Saying that tears filled her eyes.

'No, B., you have to talk. I wanna know what you feel, what is in your mind, in your heart.'

He held her tightly and placed a kiss on her hair.

'You really want?'

'Of course.'

Ellie grabbed his arm, while her head was still leaned on his chest.

'It's been a while since someone had read me as you do.'

'I can say it too. Your hazel eyes read me like a book.'

She turned around, so her waist was three-quarter turned, her eyes directed towards his, a few locks leaned on Nick.

'Do you wanna stay here tonight?'

'With all these beers? Sure'.

She grinned, and this made Nick smile, 'cause he loved seeing her happy.


End file.
